And that was it. After months of media build-up and exchanges of trash talk, the long anticipated featherweight world title fight was over inside 15 seconds.
McGregor must have had the best intentions of vine makers in mind when he almost rendered Jose Aldo unconscious with his devastating wrist work in the MGM Grand Arena. And the overflow of tributes on social media, suggest that McGregor is being lauded as the new High King of Ireland.
Speaking on The Collette Fitzpatrick show, Newstalk reporter Henry McKean revealed that Conor McGregor picked up a purse of some $5million and said the UFC generated a profit of over $50million.
But away from the lucrative dimensions of this event, not everyone will get a cut of the takings. McKean spoke about the relatively mixed reaction of the travelling Irish to the swiftness with which Conor McGregor went about defeating his Brazilian opponent.
'So many people had spent so much money coming here. I think the average was €5,000 and it was over in 13 seconds. I just couldn't get over that that was it.'
Most of the fans- and expatriots- who featured in McKean's report, focused on the magnitude of McGregor's achievement and were delighted to see a son of Eire bring Aldo's decade of dominance to a crushing halt. One man playfully informed McKean that he was off to have a celebratory 'cup of tea' in honour of the occasion.
13 seconds. Fastest in a title fight in UFC history. #UFC194 (via @ESPNStatsInfo) pic.twitter.com/17JDjS5tTR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 13, 2015
Others defended the violent elements of the sport, and said that since bloodshed is also evident in the more mainstream sports like cycling and football, there is no reason to attack UFC. 'People who say it's violent; they're having a laugh. It's an easy target.'
But while the sense of patriotic pride seems to be palpable around the Las Vegas strip, others feel they are leaving the event a little short changed.
One man said:
'It's very disappointing to come this far, to travel and pay so much money. I'd say I spent about €5,000. There is a sense of feeling like you lost out on something.'
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